If 35 mph is safer for construction crews isn’t it for pedestrians, cyclist, and children walking to school?
The Auke Bay Neighborhood Association Board feels that speed in Auke Bay should be reduced, making it safer for everyone. How do you feel about the speed limit in Auke Bay, should it be reduced, have you had close calls or do you think it’s fine the way it is?
Previous to construction the posted speed limit on the curve near the old NOAA facility (now UAS/CBJ property and Cannery Cove Condos) was 35mph. This speed was in effect during construction but is now posted at 40mph, DOT stating that the previous posted 35mph was an error.
When a person is struck by a motor vehicle, they have the following chances of death according to Killing Speed and Saving Lives: 40 mph: 90% chance of death, 30 mph: 50% chance of death, 20 mph: 10% change of death.
Alaska State regulations states, 13 AAC 03.275: Basic rule and maximum limits: (2) 20 miles per hour in a business district; (3) 25 miles per hour in a residential district. In determining safe speed limits and safe speed zones within a municipality, the department (DOT) shall consult with that municipality.
Comment below, we’d like to hear your story and or feelings about speed in Auke Bay.
35 should be the top speed through Auke Bay. There are many access drives very close together that require split second attentiveness, plus a center turn lane that is already causing havoc because people are using it as a passing lane. People rarely drove 35 as it was, now they’ll drive even faster than that. We’ve already had too many close calls in our own driveway. This is my home, my children’s home. I didn’t feel comfortable letting them walk anywhere before and you can bet, I’m even less thrilled at the prospect now. Just my thoughts on the matter. Thanks for giving us a forum.
I think that the speed limit near the roundabout should be reduced to 20. Most people drive reasonable through there but I’ve experienced some vehicles accelerating aggressively as they exit that makes it dangerous for turning out of Statter/DeHart’s parking.
The speed for the entire zone should be 30 mph and enforced.
From the Mormon Church to Stablers Point is a residential area. If the State recommends 25 mph in a residential area, that’s what it should be. Even with the construction speed zones, it has been scary to try to get my old dog across two lanes.
I am a resident at Cannery Cove. I completely agree that the speed limit needs to be reduced to its former 35mph from the current 40mph. With wider roads, there is a tendency to go faster. People already exceeded the limit when it was 35mph. In addition to the injuries last week to pedestrians, I noticed yesterday big skid marks in front of cannery cove from what I suspect was someone not being able to stop in time when someone was turning into Cannery Cove. I’m out of town but can take a picture of the skid marks next week. It’s dramatic. People come speeding around that corner at 50mph or more. What we need now is a FLASHING SIGN that says how fast they are going and to SLOW DOWN if they are exceeding the 35mph limit. I would be willing to go to a meeting to plead our case.
35 is appropriate but no slower. This is a highway after all. However before going back, it will be interesting to see what kind of data DOT collects over the next year to see what drivers actually average through the project. Design speed and posted speed are two different things. I would also assume that the improvement in sight lines and lighting will greatly improve safety throughout Auke Bay. This was a great improvement to Auke Bay for all users, let’s not forget that.
My observation has been that a significant percentage of people drive at speeds far exceeding the posted speed limit. 40 MPH is far too fast through Auke Bay from Auke Lake to the Auke Bay Bible Church. There are many pedestrians through this area, including young children. Safety concerns would indicate that a posted speed of 30 MPH is more appropriate. No one will be that inconvenienced if they have too slow down for ONE Mile.
I think it should be 35 from the ferry terminal all the way through Auke Bay. There is no bus service to the ferry terminal and there are often people walking from the ferry terminal to the first bus stop by the roundabout sometimes with children. I live close to the quarry on the beach side and nearly every time I pull out of my driveway and seeing nothing to the left there is a car at my back bumper as I accelerate normally. This means they are coming around the curves by the quarry access were those large trucks are exiting slowly at probably 45 to 50 miles an hour. Then on returning home when I put on my blinker way in advance and slow to turn into my driveway about 50% of the time when someone is behind me they will go around me on the right side without slowing down onto the shoulder which seems like a danger to all including cyclists and pedestrians. Again ahead of them is the quarry exit and some complex curves so there’s no reason to be advancing at that speed .
A speed limit of 35 mph should be in place for Glacier Hwy from Fritz Cove Road intersection to Spaulding trail head. Would one of those signs showing actual speed and blinking if over 35 mph help?
The distance from the entrance to Fritz Cove Road to Seaview Avenue (approximately the extent of the recent road construction) is almost exactly 1 mile. The extra time it would take to cross that mile at 35mph vs 40mph is just 13 more seconds.
1 mile at 35mph: 1min 43seconds
1 mile at 40mph: 1min 30seconds
This isn’t even accounting for the lower speeds required by the school zone, roundabout, etc., so the actual difference is even less than 13 seconds.
I can’t see a reasonable argument for a 5mph increase in speed. Not for this stretch of road, anyway.
Across the USA, we are seeing initiatives to RAISE speed limits. Why? Because cars are safer than ever before. The speed limits we have in place now were established way back before safety. Before seatbelt laws. Before ABS, airbags, all wheel drive, and traction control. Before marked crosswalks and raised sidewalks. Everything is safer than when these speeds limit were first invented.
So to slow things down would only be needed because of worse drivers. So I would recommend taking your time and effort and putting it into driver education and anti distracted driving training. I think we should stop catering to the weakest links in our society.
As an emergency first responder, I regularly notice how people in this area already drive well under the speed limit. In Juneau, if there is a fire at someone’s home, most of the responders come in their own personal vehicles, and unlike Alaska State law, we’re not allowed to use lights and sirens in Juneau. If the speed limit is reduced to 35, I’m concerned people will go 25, and that will greatly increase response times.
And again, everything about driving is safer these days than it was when these common speed limits were first implemented. Safer cars and safer roads means the speed limits should logically increase, not decrease.
That argument makes absolutely no sense. I live on this street, I walk on this street several times a day, and I can assure you that people who drive this stretch never go under the speed limit. Always over.
2 nights ago there was a fire call and myself and several other vehicles were stuck behind someone doing 10 under through that whole section.
The speed limit is still currently posted at 35 just past the lab all the way to Wadelich Creek. I appreciate that you are a first responder, Beau, (thank you) and yes, we have ‘safer’ vehicles. But our pedestrians and bikers don’t have better body armor. As a first responder in your own vehicle, you can turn on your hazards, flash your headlights and honk your horn. National Guard responders do it all the time.
Also, pulling in and out of my driveway has become a game of chicken and I’m still in the 35 MPH zone. Drivers pass Spaulding trail and the pedal hits the floor. I can’t let my children walk to school because of it. Daily, people are speeding past the trail only to have the person in front of them need to turn left at the condos. No room to stop at higher speeds so they are forced to pass on the right, in front of my driveway. Needless to say I’ve almost had my front end torn off numerous times just trying to pull out. It also happens when I’m trying to pull in. The two most frightening times were when we were bringing two of our babies home from the hospital after they were born. We turned our right signal on and slowed down. Some asshat behind us decided to floor it. Didn’t anticipate that we were actually turning the way we signaled and passed us on the right forcing us into the oncoming lane. It happens weekly. People going too fast and unable to manage a safe deceleration when necessary. Site distances are an issue too, especially with summer vegetation creeping out of ditches.
Yes, educated drivers and better driving habits would be optimal, but not probable in this day and age.
It should be no higher than 35.
We’re not even talking about that portion of the road by the trail head…this is only about the curve by NOAA.
My situation on the other end of the road still rings true for everyone trying to enter/exit their driveway between the lab and the roundabout. It had been proposed to raise the speed limit all the way through Auke Bay. Not sure if that was finally tabled or not. So that would explain why I commented on that matter.
30 or 35 mph should be the speed throughout the zone from Fritz Cove Road to the 45mph zone past Waydeleigh Creek. Cyclists and Pedestrians, including school kids, are abundant here, and 40mph is too fast.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the school zone there already gets 20mph signage during school days and important school hours.
We don’t have pedestrians and bicyclists only during certain days or hours.